Production and cross-reactivity patterns of a panel of high affinity monoclonal antibodies to Vibrio cholerae O139 Bengal

Abnormal brain stem auditory-evoked responses (BAER) were recorded on 14 dogs with brain lesions confirmed by necropsy (n = 13) or magnetic resonance imaging and surgical biopsy (n = 1). Lesions included brain stem or cerebellar tumors (6 dogs), brain stem trauma (1 dog), forebrain tumors (3 dogs), hydrocephalus (2 dogs), granulomatous meningoencephalitis (1 dog), and meningoencephalitis (1 dog). Five affected dogs were comatose at the time of recording. BAER abnormalities could be classified as (1) absence of some or all of waves I to V, (2) increased latencies, with wave V being most frequently affected, or (3) a reduction in the amplitude ratio of waves V/I.     

Ecofriendly Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles by Terrabacter humi sp. nov. and Their Antibacterial Application against Antibiotic-Resistant Pathogens

It is essential to develop and discover alternative eco-friendly antibacterial agents due to the emergence of multi-drug-resistant microorganisms. In this study, we isolated and characterized a novel bacterium named Terrabacter humi MAHUQ-38^T, utilized for the eco-friendly synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and the synthesized AgNPs were used to control multi-drug-resistant microorganisms. The novel strain was Gram stain positive, strictly aerobic, milky white colored, rod shaped and non-motile. The optimal growth temperature, pH and NaCl concentration were 30 °C, 6.5 and 0%, respectively. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence, strain MAHUQ-38^T belongs to the genus Terrabacter and is most closely related to several Terrabacter type strains (98.2%–98.8%). Terrabacter humi MAHUQ-38^T had a genome of 5,156,829 bp long (19 contigs) with 4555 protein-coding genes, 48 tRNA and 5 rRNA genes. The culture supernatant of strain MAHUQ-38^T was used for the eco-friendly and facile synthesis of AgNPs. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) image showed the spherical shape of AgNPs with a size of 6 to 24 nm, and the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis revealed the functional groups responsible for the synthesis of AgNPs. The synthesized AgNPs exhibited strong anti-bacterial activity against multi-drug-resistant pathogens, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Minimal inhibitory/bactericidal concentrations against E. coli and P. aeruginosa were 6.25/50 and 12.5/50 μg/mL, respectively. The AgNPs altered the cell morphology and damaged the cell membrane of pathogens. This study encourages the use of Terrabacter humi for the ecofriendly synthesis of AgNPs to control multi-drug-resistant microorganisms.     

Understanding bioenergy production and optimisation at the nanoscale – a review

ABSTRACT

Nanotechnology has an increasingly large impact on a wide range of biotechnological, pharmacological and pure technological applications. Its current use in bioenergy production from biomass is very limited. This paper examines the potential interrelationships between nanotechnology and bioenergy production through a comprehensive literature review and analysis of data from biomass characterisation studies. The aim of this review is to indicate how nanotechnology can be applied in biomass-to-bioenergy conversion. This study shows currently nanotechnology has been applied in the production of only two types of biomass, i.e. sludge and algae. Hence, interaction of nanomaterials with active sludge and algal cells were examined. Our extensive literature review indicates that anaerobic digestion process in sludge can potentially be enhanced by using magnetite nanoparticles, which gives higher methane yields. On the other hand, nanosilver reduces growth and causes adverse effects on the morphology of green algae. This process for bioenergy generation has already been successfully applied to sludge and algae biomass. Our study confirms that the process can also be used in the production of bioenergy from the other biomasses, such as agricultural wastes and industrial residues. Outcomes of this work will be an important tool for implementing nanotechnology in bioenergy research.     

Occlusion filling in stereo: Theory and experiments

A number of stereo matching algorithms have been developed in the last few years, which also have successfully detected occlusions in stereo images. These algorithms typically fall short of a systematic study of occlusions; they predominantly emphasize matching and regard occlusion filling as a secondary operation. Filling occlusions, however, is useful in many applications such as image-based rendering where 3D models are desired to be as complete as possible. In this paper, we study occlusions in a systematic way and propose two algorithms to fill occlusions reliably by applying statistical modeling, visibility constraints, and scene constraints. We introduce a probabilistic, model-based filling order of the occluded points to maintain consistency in filling. Furthermore, we show how an ambiguity in the interpolation of the disparity value of an occluded point can safely be avoided using color homogeneity when the point’s neighborhood consists of multiple scene surfaces. We perform a comparative study and show that statistically, the new algorithms deliver good quality results compared to existing algorithms.     

Evidence for activities inhibiting in trans initiation of DNA replication in extract prepared from irradiated cells

We have previously shown that replication in vitro of plasmids containing the Simian virus 40 (SV40) origin of replication is reduced when an extract of irradiated cells is used (Wang et al., Radiat. Res. 142, 169-175, 1995). We proposed that the observed reduction in the overall replication activity is due to a reduction in the efficiency of initiation events, and that it is caused by the induction or activation by ionizing radiation of a factor(s) that inhibits DNA replication in trans. Here, we extend these studies and provide evidence that the reduced replication activity of an extract prepared from irradiated cells is not the result of a nonspecific inactivation of proteins or of an increase in the requirement for SV40 large tumor antigen (TAg), the only noncellular protein required for in vitro DNA replication. Mixing experiments demonstrate the presence of a dominant inhibitory activity(ies) in the extract of irradiated cells that efficiently stalls replication in reactions assembled using extract of nonirradiated cells. The inhibitory activity is a stable, nondialyzable molecule. Studies of kinetics suggest that the inhibitory activity(ies) affects the initiation steps of DNA replication and acts, at least partly, by modifying TAg, the key initiation protein of SV40 ori DNA replication. It is likely that the same inhibitory activity(ies) regulates cellular DNA replication by modifying the cellular homologues of TAg. Purification and characterization of this inhibitory activity(ies) will contribute to our understanding of the mechanism developed by the cell to regulate DNA replication after exposure to ionizing radiation and will define a checkpoint operating in S phase. Genetic evidence for a checkpoint in S phase distinct from the checkpoints operating in G1 and G2 phase has been reported in yeast.     

An efficient binning scheme with application to statistical crack mechanics

A computational scheme is developed for sampling‐based evaluation of a function whose inputs are statistically variable. After a general abstract framework is developed, it is applied to initialize and evolve the size and orientation of cracks within a finite domain, such as a finite element or similar subdomain. The finite element is presumed to be too large to explicitly track each of the potentially thousands (or even millions) of individual cracks in the domain. Accordingly, a novel binning scheme is developed that maps the crack data to nodes on a reference grid in probability space. The scheme, which is clearly generalizable to applications involving arbitrary numbers of random variables, is illustrated in the scope of planar deformations of a brittle material containing straight cracks. Assuming two random variables describe each crack, the cracks are assigned uniformly random orientations and non‐uniformly random sizes. Their data are mapped to a computationally tractable number of nodes on a grid laid out in the unit square of probability space so that Gauss points on the grid may be used to define an equivalent subpopulation of the cracks. This significantly reduces the computational cost of evaluating ensemble effects of large evolving populations of random variables. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Multi-Scale Modeling of Tunneling in Nanoscale Atomically Precise Si:P Tunnel Junctions

Controlling electron tunneling is of fundamental importance in the design and operation of semiconductor nanostructures such as field effect transistors (FETs) and quantum computing device architectures. The exponential sensitivity of tunneling with distance requires precise fabrication techniques to engineer the desired device dimensions to achieve the appropriate tunneling resistances/tunnel rates. This is particularly important for high fidelity spin readout and qubit exchange in quantum computing architectures. Here, it is shown by combining precision fabrication techniques with accurate atomistic modeling, predictive device design criteria are achieved at atomic length scales. Such a tool is useful when devices become more complex or have arbitrary shapes/geometries. In particular, in this study, atomic precision patterning of monolayer degenerately phosphorus-doped silicon tunnel junctions patterned by scanning tunnelling microscopy lithography and tight-binding non-equilibrium Green's function (TB-NEGF) modeling is combined to describe the dependence of tunnel junction resistance R_T on junction length. An agreement with experiment to within a factor of 2 over 4 orders of magnitude in R_T is found, and this model allows to accurately determine the barrier height V₀ = 57.5 ± 1 meV and lateral seam s_xy = 0.39 ± 0.01 nm in these nanoscale junctions. This study confirms the use of the TB-NEGF formalism to accurately model highly doped atomically precise tunnel junctions in silicon. Further applications of this model will enable improved device performance at the nanoscale.     

Sequencing and functional analysis of the SNRPN promoter: in vitro methylation abolishes promoter activity

The gene encoding the small nuclear ribonucleoprotein-associated polypeptide N (SNRPN) maps to the Prader-Willi syndrome critical region on chromosome 15 and is expressed preferentially from the paternal allele. A CpG island encompassing the first exon of SNRPN is methylated on the inactive maternal allele. DNA sequence was determined for a cosmid containing the first three exons of SNRPN and extending 20 kb upstream and 15 kb downstream from the CpG island. This region is extremely rich in Alu elements and other repetitive sequences and contains a single CpG island, which includes numerous short direct repeat sequences. Functional analysis of the first exon revealed strong promoter activity for a 260-bp fragment extending 207 bp upstream from the exon. In vitro methylation of this 260-bp fragment abolished promoter activity completely, suggesting that the silencing of the maternal SNRPN allele may be a direct consequence of methylation of the promoter region.     

Recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (filgrastim) following high-dose chemotherapy and peripheral blood progenitor cell rescue in high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: clinical benefits at no extra cost

In order to evaluate the potential clinical and economic benefits of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF, filgrastim) following peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPC) rescue after high-dose chemotherapy (HDCT), 23 consecutive patients aged less than 60 years with poor-prognosis, high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) were entered into a prospective randomized trial between May 1993 and September 1995. Patients were randomized to receive either PBPC alone (n = 12) or PBPC+G-CSF (n = 11) after HDCT with busulphan and cyclophosphamide. G-CSF (300 microg day[-1]) was given from day +5 until recovery of granulocyte count to greater than 1.0 x 10(9) l(-1) for 2 consecutive days. The mean time to achieve a granulocyte count > 0.5 x 10(9) l(-1) was significantly shorter in the G-CSF arm (9.7 vs 13.2 days; P<0.0001) as was the median duration of hospital stay (12 vs 15 days; P = 0.001). In addition the recovery periods (range 9-12 vs 11-17 days to achieve a count of 1.0 x 10(9) l[-1]) and hospital stays (range 11-14 vs 13-22 days) were significantly less variable in patients receiving G-CSF in whom the values clustered around the median. There were no statistically significant differences between the study arms in terms of days of fever, documented episodes of bacteraemia, antimicrobial drug usage and platelet/red cell transfusion requirements. Taking into account the costs of total occupied-bed days, drugs, growth factor usage and haematological support, the mean expenditure per inpatient stay was pound sterling 6500 (range pound sterling 5465-pound sterling 8101) in the G-CSF group compared with pound sterling 8316 (range pound sterling 5953-pound sterling 15,801) in the group not receiving G-CSF, with an observed mean saving of 1816 per patient (or 22% of the total cost) in the G-CSF group. This study suggests that after HDCT and PBPC rescue, the use of G-CSF leads to more rapid haematological recovery periods and is associated with a more predictable and shorter hospital stay. Furthermore, and despite the additional costs for G-CSF, these clinical benefits are not translated into increased health care expenditure.     

Heat loss factor of evacuated tubular receivers

Tubular receivers with an evacuated space between the absorber and concentric glass cover to suppress convection heat loss are employed as absorbers of linear concentrators in the intermediate temperature range. A knowledge of their heat loss factor is important for a study of the thermal performance of such solar concentrating systems. The heat loss factor of a collector can be calculated by solving the governing heat transfer equations or estimated from an empirical equation, if available. The governing equations must be solved simultaneously by iterations, but this is tedious and cumbersome. Although several correlations exist for determining the heat loss factor for flat-plate collectors and non-evacuated tubular absorbers of linear solar collectors, there is no available correlation for predicting the heat loss factor of evacuated receivers.

A correlation to calculate the heat loss factor (U_L) of evacuated tubular receivers as a function of variables involved (absorber temperature, emittance, diameter and wind loss coefficient) has been obtained. The correlation developed by a least square regression analysis predicts the heat loss factor to within ±1.5% of the value obtained by exact solution of the simultaneous equations in the following range of variables: wind loss coefficient, 10–60 W/m²°C; emittance, 0.1–0.95; and absorber temperature, 50–200°C.